Petrol stations are no longer simply a place for your customer to refuel. They’ve become local shopping destinations to grab a bite to eat, try a new product, or even find grocery staples.
With this in mind, our members are continuing to realize the importance of understanding what their customers want. Additionally, it has become increasingly beneficial to anticipate market trends and become a destination in your area for highly sought after products and items. However, figuring out what’s on the rise and which products to stock all on your own can be a daunting task.
Our friends at HubbCo are making it easier for your petrol station to meet the current and evolving needs and wants of your patrons. We talked to them a little bit about what they see as critical market trends for service station owners to be aware of, and how our members can make innovation easier at their own petrol station with the HubbCo platform.
What industry trends does HubbCo see as important as they pertain to petrol station owners?
The last year has resulted in higher than ever demand for convenience within the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry. Though demand for delivery and other convenience options existed pre-pandemic, the international health crisis brought interest in this system to a new level.
Functions such as buy-now-pay-later, click and collect, collect in store, call & pickup, and scan & deliver have become new industry expectations from consumers. This demand has naturally extended to traditional retailers and food suppliers, but has begun to extend to petrol stations as well.
For example, in April of 2020 when the pandemic first began, 7-Eleven announced a contactless home delivery service designed to take groceries directly to consumers’ doorsteps. Customers can order essentials such as milk, bread, cereal and eggs, as well as personal care items, bakery treats, snacks, and beverages.
In an industry where many petrol station storefronts are relied upon for their convenience, the move felt natural. Delivery services such as these only emphasize the aura of convenience already associated with products supplied by service stations.
This demand isn’t anticipated to disappear as time goes on, either. HubbCo believes this to be a growing standard to be embraced. In a mobile technology world, consumers’ power expectations continue to grow. We want more, and we want it quick. The busier we get, the more we rely on these types of services.
HubbCo believes that moving forward, petrol station owners would highly benefit from recognizing these demands and meeting them by offering consumers more convenience options in purchasing and accessing products. We believe a high-functioning delivery system is ultimately good for any service station’s bottom line.
What products does HubbCo believe are most increasing in popularity with customers in 2021?
HubbCo is dedicated to understanding growing product trends. Knowing what is on the rise, and what your customers are searching for allows you to be the first to provide it. For independent business owners, this is critical to forming a strong customer base.
HubbCo has noted a few upcoming trends. The first of which is Matcha. As of Tuesday, 21st February, Australia has seen a 275% growth in searches for “Matcha” over a three month period.
According to HubbCo’s research, a great product members could stock to meet this need is the Coco Tribe Green Tea Coconut Milk Ice Cream, which seems to be specifically sought after in our observations.
Another product service station owners should be aware of is Yerba. As of the same time, HubbCo recorded a 90.91% growth in consumers searching for Yerba over the last 12 months.
Business owners looking to invest in this consumer trend may benefit from looking into Naturally Driven’s Sparkling Yerba Mate Original.
Both of these trends are likely to continue to grow in popularity, and include items that make sense being found in petrol station stock. Being aware of trends such as these can help your business appeal to a larger consumer base. Your petrol station will be associated with providing the products your customers are looking for, generating brand loyalty and repeat business.
What is HubbCo? How can it help our members save money and time?
HubbCo is a product discovery and trends tracking platform that streamlines the connection between retailers and suppliers. We offer an economical and efficient way for independent retailers like your members to grow their range and stay ahead of the competition, while also allowing suppliers to digitally showcase emerging brands.
HubbCo is a free platform for retailers such as petrol stations and can be accessed 24/7. Users can access suppliers from all the major corporations, and insights on the latest product trends and information from our partners at IRI Asia Pacific, who are leaders in Market Performance & Strategy & Consumer & Shopper Insights. This can help service station owners stay on top of trending products, and connect them with the suppliers who provide them.
One of the best ways to retain and grow a strong consumer base is to give them access to the products and services they are looking for. HubbCo can help members do exactly that.
Once you create an account as a retailer, simply log in, and begin to discover and connect in under a minute. Once connections are made, communication is direct between you, the retailer, and the supplier, making it one of the most convenient and time efficient ways to find new products and services that customers will be excited about.
Click here to create your own free account now.